ASHEVILLE, N.C. - UNCG and Davidson have been tabbed the preseason favorites to win the Southern Conference divisional men's basketball titles in 2012-13, according to a vote by the league's head coaches. Davidson junior De'Mon Brooks was also named the SoCon Preseason Player of the Year as part of the preseason-all-conference team. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team or student-athletes as part of the balloting. The preseason accolades were announced in conjunction with the league's Basketball Tip-Off event in Asheville, N.C., site of the 2013 Southern Conference Basketball Tournament.

Wes Miller enters his first full season as head coach of the Spartans after taking over mid-year in 2011-12 and guiding the Spartans to a 10-8 record in league play to capture the North Division crown. UNCG earned seven first-place votes in the balloting and finished with 59 points. Elon was slotted second on the strength of three first-place votes, while Western Carolina was picked third. The Catamounts earned the final two first-place votes in the North Division. Appalachian State (36) was picked fourth, while Chattanooga (26) was tabbed fifth. Samford, under first-year head coach Bennie Seltzer, was picked sixth.

Davidson head coach Bob McKillop enters his 24th season on the bench with the Wildcats. Davidson won the South Division last season with a 16-2 mark in league play and went on to win the conference tournament with a 93-91 double-overtime win over Western Carolina. The Wildcats earned the maximum 11 first-place votes and finished with 65 points. College of Charleston, under first-year head coach Doug Wojcik, was tabbed second in the South Division with 54 points and one first-place vote. Georgia Southern (48) was picked third after finishing 2011-12 with a 12-6 mark in league play, the best conference record for the Eagles since 2008. Wofford (32) was slotted fourth, just a few points ahead of Furman (27). The Citadel was picked sixth in the South.

The coaches also selected a 10-member preseason all-conference team. Brooks averaged 15.7 points and 6.2 rebounds as a sophomore. An Associated Press All-America Honorable Mention selection last year, Brooks was named the SoCon Player of the Year by the league's head coaches following the 2012 campaign and took home the SoCon Tournament's Most Outstanding Player Award. He was joined on the preseason all-conference team by teammates Jake Cohen and Nik Cochran.

College of Charleston's Andrew Lawrence and Trent Wiedeman were also named to the preseason all-conference team. They were joined by The Citadel's Mike Groselle, Elon's Jack Isenbarger, Georgia Southern's Eric Ferguson, UNCG's Trevis Simpson and Western Carolina's Trey Sumler.

Thursday's event also marked the first day of ticket sales for the 2013 Southern Conference Tournament. Fans can purchase their tickets through the U.S. Cellular Center ticket office or through their Southern Conference institution. As part of Thursday's Tip-Off, the league's head coaches met with local media in the Asheville area, members of the local organizing committee and corporate partners for the event.